Vibratory toothbrush



April 4, 1961 F. DEMANUELE 2,977,614

VIBRATORY TooTHBRUsH Filed Feb. 11, 1960 L@ l@ @l NVENTOR Fmdfffdz QQM LW d United States atent VIBRATORY TOOTHBRUSH Frederick Demanuele, Canadian Research & Development Foundation, 1434 Queen St. W., Toronto, ntario, Canada Filed Feb. 11, 1960, Ser. No. 8,160 2 Claims. (Cl. 15--22) This invention relates to improvements in toothbrushes and more particularly to improvements in toothbrushes of the electrically actuated type.

Various types of electrically actuated toothbrushes have previously been devised, some having a rotary motion and others having a vibratory motion, to attain a brushing action parallel to the spacing between the teeth in order to remove particles of food, etc. that have entered such spaces, such particles being diihcult to remove by use of conventional toothbrushes that brush cross-wise of such spaces, inability to remove such particles of food, through cross-wise brushing, permitting such particles to decay and cause decay of the teeth.

Disadvantages incurred by use of such previously devised rotary or vibratory toothbrushes include the difticulty of brushing food particles away from the gums in both upper and lower rows of teeth and on inner and outer sides of the teeth, since such rotary toothbrushes normally rotate only in one direction. Another disadvantage in regard to vibratory toothbrushes is that these normally are pivoted at one point of the toothbrush providing an arcuate movement thereof, whereby the inner end of the toothbrush has a shorter vibratory movement than the outer end of the toothbrush, thus giving a dilerent brushing action at each end of brush resulting in variance in the cleaning action thereof.

A further disadvantage relating to the conventional types of rotary and vibratory toothbrushes lies in the multiplicity of moving parts utilized therein, making maintenance diflicult and costly.

It is an object of this invention to provide a vibratory toothbrush in which the brush portion is adapted to oscillate with a linear motion, transversely of and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the toothbrush, all portions of the toothbrush head being adapted to move the same distance through each v-ibratory cycle.

It is another object of this invention to provide a vibratory toothbrush in which the speed of the vibrating cycle may be varied manually.

lt is a further object of this invention to provide a vibratory toothbrush that does not rely upon spring action for return movement in one direction, but is adapted to oscillate between poles of two opposing electro-magnets which are adapted to be alternately energized to create consecutively alternating and opposing directions of magnetic fields acting on an armature attached to the brushing portion of the toothbrush.

llt is another object of this invention to provide a vibratory toothbrush in which two opposing electro-magnets are adapted to be energized alternately and automatically by controllable switch means incorporated in this invention.

These and other objects and features of this invention will become apparent when taken in conjunction with the following drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a part sectional plan view of a vibrating toothbrush embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a mid-vertical part sectional side elevation incorporated in this invention.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary part-sectional View of switch means shown in Fig. 3 taken on line 4--4.

Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram of an electrical circuit connecting the electro-magnets and the switch means, embodied in this invention, to an electrical power source.

Referring to Fig. 1 a vibratory toothbrush is shown comprising the housing 1 having, disposed centrally and longitudinally thereof, a toothbrush member 2 attached to guide blocks 3 and 4, adapted to slide in transverse slide channels 5 and 6 located in the same plane, each guide having its longitudinal direction perpend.cular to the longitudinal direction of brush member 2.

Two electro-magnets 7 and 8 are situated within housing 1 on opposing sides of brush member 2, an armature 9 being attached to brush member 2 and located substantially between poles 10 and 11 of electro-magnet 7 and poles 12 and 13 of electro-magnet 8, guide channels 5 and 6 being so situated as to permit armature 9 on brush member 2 to oscillate between poles 10 and 11 and poles 12 and 13 respectively, armature 9 being situated on brush member 2 in such a location as to permit armature 9 to approach close to poles 10 and and poles 12 and 13 alternately.

A brush head 14 is detachably attached to external free end 15 of brush member 2, bristles 16 being located on brush head 14 extending in a direction perpendicular to direction of movement of brush member 2. Flexible seal 17 is located between opening 18 of housing 1 and brush member 2, adapted to prevent moisture etc. from penetrating from brush head 14 into interior of housing 1.

Extension end 19 of brush member 2 located at end opposite to brush head 14 is cradled by a V-formed fork 2i) swivably attached to bracket 21, fork 20 being adapted to swivel in a plane containing both prongs 22 and 23 of fork 2l), bracket 21 being hingeably attached to bearing 24 in housing 1, bracket 21 being adapted to rotate in a plane perpendicular to the plane of movement of fork 2t).

Bracket 21 is controllably situated at an angle to the longitudinal direction of brush member 2 through a projection pin 25 adapted through pressure or" spring 26 to engage with a tapered surface 27 on internal surface of rotatable dial 28 adapted to be located in a variable radial position through manual adjusting knob 29 projecting externally through housing 1.

A switch 30 is attached to bracket 21 switch 30 being adapted to be actuated by reciprocating movement of prongs 22 and 23 of fork 20, permitting current from electr-cal cord 31 to alternately energize electro-magnets 'i and S.

Rotation of dial 29 alters angle of inclination of fork 2t) whereby relative location of extension 19 of brush member 2 is brought to correlate with a diiferent position within fork 20, thereby regulating the distance of lateral movement of brush member 2 before reversing of switch 3l) from a relatively short motion in the centre of travel of brush member 2, to full extent of travel of brush member 2.

Referring to Fig. 3 the adjustable switching mechanism is shown in detail illustrating particularly the limits through which oscillating movement of switch in relation to oscillating movement of extension 19 may be changed, Fig. 4 iliustrating particularly method of switching current from one electro-magnet to the other electromagnet through contacts 32 and 33 of electro-magnets 7 and 8 respectively, being alternately contacted by switching shoe 34 of fork 20.

Referring to Fig. 5 a schematic diagram of the electrical system embodying this invention is shown illustrating the electrical power source 35 being, through wire 36, connected to one end of each of coils 37 and 38 of electrofmagnets 7 and 8 respectively, armature 9 being shown located between electro-magnets 7 and 8,Y the other end of electro-magnets 7 Vand 8 respectively being connected to lugs 32 and 33 adapted to be alternately contacted by shoe 34 connected to other lend of power source 35 through lug 39 and wire 40.

This invention is adapted to facilitate easy removal and attachment of brush head 14, thereby permitting each member of a family to have their own brush head yet utilize a common vibrating housing portion.

It will be understood that the design of this invention may be changed according to manufacturing requirements without the general principle falling outside the scope of the general principle hereof without prejudicing the novelty of this invention.

The embodiments of the invention in which I claim an exclusive property and privilege are defined as follows:

1. A vibratory toothbrush comprising a housing, an oscillating brush member located substantially on the longitudinal axis of said housing, one end of said brush member extending out through one end of said housing and having detachably attached to its extreme end a toothbrush head supplied with toothbrush bristles, the internal portion of said brush member, located within said housing, being supplied with rigid guide blocks located in the same plane, each of said guide blocks being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said brush member, said guide blocks being parallel to each other and adapted to slide in parallel guide grooves located within said housing, said guide grooves being parallel to each other and adapted to slidably receive said guide blocks, a magnetisable armature located on said brush member between said guide blocks, two electromagnets located one on each side of said brush memberysad electromagnets being located within the same plane as said guide blocks, the magnetic poles of each of said electro-magnets being directed towards said armature, an extension portion located on the end of said brush member opposite to said end containing said toothbrush head, said extension portion being located within, and cradled by reversing switch means, said switch means being in electrical connection with said electro-magnets, said switch means being adapted to be actuated by movement of said extension portion to alternately energize each of said electro-magnets by alternately supplying electricity thereto from an electric source, saidv reversible switch means comprising a forked switch lever adapted to cradle said extension portion, the forks of-said forked switch lever being located at an acute angle to each other, said forked switched lever being hingeably attached to said housing, the axis of said hingeable attachment being parallel to the longitudinal axis of said guide blocks, and manual positioning means adapted manually to locate a plane containing both forks of said forked switch lever at a predetermined angle to the longitudinal axis of said brush member.

2. A vibratory toothbrush as claimed in claim 1 in which said manual positioning means comprises a spring loaded stud located on said hingeable connection, said stud being incontactwith a manually rotatable wedge located in said housing.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,605 Truman June 28, 1898 1,703,997 Greenwood Mar. 5, 1929 2,022,457 Brown Nov. 26, 1935 2,319,205 Buck May 18, 1943 2,535,788 Davidoi Dec. 26, 1950 

